Play therapy is a form of therapeutic support that helps children explore their feelings, experiences and difficulties through play, creativity and a trusting relationship with a trained play therapist. Your child does not need to explain everything in words for it to help. That is largely the point: play is how children make sense of the world.
Whether play therapy is right for your child depends on what they are going through, and we would always talk that through with you before anything begins.
How play therapy works for children
Play Therapy UK describes play therapy as a type of therapy where play and art materials are the main way a person expresses themselves. The Irish Association for Play Therapy and Psychotherapy (IAPTP) puts it more simply: toys are like the child's words, and play is the child's language.
Think of a six-year-old whose grandparent has died, or whose parents have just separated. Ask how they are feeling and you may get a shrug, or a sudden temper over nothing. Most young children do not yet have the words for fear, guilt or confusion. Give them a doll's house or a box of puppets, though, and those feelings often appear: a small figure left outside, a storm that keeps returning.
A play therapist works with toys, art materials, clay, sand, stories, puppets, role play, movement and music. Some sessions are child-led, where your child chooses what to play and the therapist follows. Others are more structured, with the therapist introducing an activity to gently explore a theme. Our child play therapy draws on both, and some children respond especially well to sand tray therapy, where a whole inner world can be built from miniature figures.
How play therapy differs from talking therapy
Adult counselling relies mostly on words. Play therapy counselling keeps the same foundations: a safe, confidential relationship with a trained therapist, regular sessions and a predictable space. What changes is the language. Instead of asking a child to explain themselves, the therapist meets them in play, notices what they show, and responds in a way that helps them feel understood.
As children grow, many move naturally towards talking. That is why we also offer counselling and psychotherapy for teenagers, and why parents sometimes find that their own individual counselling is a useful support alongside their child's work.
What play therapy can help with
Play therapy may help children who are struggling emotionally, socially or with their behaviour. It is not a diagnosis, and it is not a guaranteed cure. It is one way of helping a child process what has happened and find steadier ways of coping. The table below sets out common reasons a child might start play therapy, and when they may need more than play therapy alone.
| Concern | How play therapy may help | When wider support may be needed |
|---|---|---|
| Anxiety and worry | Gives worries a shape the child can see, and lets them practise feeling braver in a safe space | If anxiety stops them going to school, eating or sleeping |
| Trauma or frightening experiences | Lets the child return to what happened at their own pace, through play rather than direct questions | If there are ongoing safety concerns or signs of post-traumatic stress |
| Bereavement and grief | Helps a child express sadness, anger or confusion about a death, and keep a sense of connection to the person | If grief seems stuck or the wider family is struggling to cope |
| Big feelings and emotional regulation | Helps children notice, name and manage strong feelings | If outbursts put the child or others at risk |
| Behavioural difficulties | Explores what the behaviour may be communicating, rather than only the behaviour itself | If a developmental assessment or school support plan would help |
| Low self-esteem | Builds confidence through a relationship where the child is accepted as they are | If low mood is persistent or getting worse |
| Family separation | Gives the child a neutral space outside the tension at home | If parents would benefit from family or couples support |
| School difficulties and major life changes | Helps a child adjust to a move, a new sibling, a new school or friendship problems | If learning needs or bullying should be addressed with the school |
Children with complex or overlapping needs may also need input from a GP, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, their school or a specialist service. Play therapy can sit alongside that support rather than replace it. If worry is the main thing you are noticing, our piece on what triggers anxiety in a child may help you make sense of it first.
If your child or anyone else is in immediate danger, call 112 or 999 or go to your nearest emergency department. Samaritans are available any time on 116 123, and the HSE lists urgent and emergency care options.
The benefits of play therapy for children
The possible benefits of play therapy for children include:
- expressing feelings safely, without needing the right words
- processing difficult or confusing experiences
- developing coping skills they can use outside the room
- managing strong emotions with more confidence
- feeling better about themselves
- closer, calmer relationships with parents, siblings and friends
Change can show up in the therapy room first, then at home or at school, and it rarely moves in a straight line. How much a child gains depends on the child, what they are dealing with, the relationship they build with their therapist and how regularly they attend. We think it is fairer to tell you that honestly than to promise a result.
The research is encouraging, with some caveats. A 2026 review in Clinical Psychology Review looked at psychological treatments for children aged 12 and under with trauma-related symptoms, drawing on 127 studies and 5,689 children. Play therapy showed small-to-moderate effects and sandplay showed large effects (from only three studies), while trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT) had the strongest evidence overall. The authors called for more research with more diverse groups of children, ages and types of trauma.
Play therapy covers several models, and studies differ in age groups, outcome measures and quality, so results are hard to compare. For you, the takeaway is that play therapy has real evidence behind it, but it is one option among several, and a good assessment matters more than any single study.
Which ages and stages play therapy suits
Our child play therapy is for children from three years old. Even so, suitability depends more on a child's developmental stage, how they communicate and what they need than on their age alone. A shy ten-year-old may still find play far easier than talking, while a chatty eight-year-old may be ready for a more conversational approach.
Play therapists adapt the toys, creative materials, language and level of structure to the child. Younger children often use figures, puppets and messy play. Primary school children may move towards drawing, stories and games, and older children often prefer sand trays, art or a mix of play and conversation. Children who speak little, or who are neurodivergent, can also connect through sensory and non-verbal play.
Play therapy is not the answer for every child or every difficulty. An initial assessment helps us decide whether play therapy, talking therapy, family therapy or another approach is the best fit, and we will tell you if we think something else would serve your child better.
What happens in a play therapy session
Every service works a little differently, but the pathway usually looks like this:
- An initial consultation with you as parent or guardian, without your child, to hear what is happening and some of their history.
- An assessment to understand your child's needs and whether play therapy suits them.
- Agreed goals, so everyone knows what the work is aiming for.
- Regular sessions for your child, usually at the same time each week.
- Periodic reviews with you to talk about how things are going.
- A planned ending, so your child can say goodbye to a relationship that has mattered to them.
Sessions take place in a private room with carefully chosen toys and creative materials. Keeping the time, the room and the therapist the same helps a child feel safe enough to explore. The therapist is not simply supervising play. They watch, reflect back what they notice and help your child explore difficult themes at a pace they can manage.
According to the IAPTP, sessions typically last 30 to 50 minutes, usually once a week, with a review with parents after the first six to eight sessions. It also notes that research points to an average of around 20 sessions for common difficulties. Averages hide a lot, though. Some children need only short-term work, while long-standing difficulties can need longer, so we review progress with you rather than set a fixed number at the start.
How you are involved, and what stays private between your child and their therapist, is explained before therapy begins. We cover both in the FAQs below, and our guide to supporting parents through family challenges may help while you are deciding.
FAQs
How much does play therapy for children cost in Ireland?
Fees vary by provider, location and session length, so it is worth asking any service for its current rates before you start. Ours are on our prices page. If you have health insurance, it is worth asking whether your plan contributes towards therapy for children.
How can parents find a qualified play therapist in Ireland?
Look for specific training in play therapy, membership of a professional body, Garda vetting, professional insurance, regular clinical supervision and experience with children of your child's age or with the difficulty they are facing. The IAPTP has a directory of accredited play therapists you can search by county. Our play therapists are fully qualified and accredited with the main play therapy bodies in Ireland, and you are always welcome to ask about their training.
Are parents involved in play therapy, and are sessions confidential?
Yes, you are involved, through the first consultation and regular reviews where the therapist shares general themes and progress. What your child plays or says in a session is usually kept private, because that privacy is what lets them be honest. The exception is safeguarding: if the therapist believes your child or someone else is at risk of serious harm, they must act on it, and this is explained to you at the start.
Talking to us about your child
If you are wondering whether play therapy could help your child, you do not need to have it all worked out first. An initial conversation with us can cover what you have noticed, which of our therapists are available, fees and the approach that might suit your child best. We cannot promise a particular outcome, but we can help you think it through.
Whenever you feel ready, get in touch with our team. You can also see our clinic locations in Dublin and Galway.